Page 79 of Queen of Wrath
What have I done?
33
JAX
Why can’t I stay away? Jax wondered as he looked up at the half-burnt building in which Emma lived.
The building authorities had been doing everything they could to undo the damage caused by the fire. A large part of the city was being rebuilt from the ground up.
She’s lucky to have even half of a home to come back to at least. I’m glad she wasn’t hurt.
Jax’s knuckles knocked against the wood of her front door, and it only took a moment for her to answer. “Emma, I'm glad I was able to catch you at home. There's something I need to tell you, and we don't really have a lot of time to discuss it.”
Jax charged past her into her house.
“Come on in then,” Emma retorted sarcastically as she shut the door and locked it. “What's so urgent that you had to come here?”
“It’s my uncle. I don't think fixing the faulty potions is going to matter at this point. He's too blinded by rage to see reason anymore. I heard he even kicked Kiyan out, practically threatening to kill him if he tried to go back! I can’t even imagine what he’d do to me if I confronted him.” Jax was beside himself. He knew that eventually, he would have no choice, but the courage it required eluded him.
“What do you want me to do about it?” Emma asked, laughing humorlessly. He could tell she didn’t mean to belittle him, but that she was at as much of a loss as he was.
It was understandable, considering he was considered the Potion King. He was the one richer than the gods, and yet he was running scared like a child.
“I find that I'm braver when I'm around you. I'm not sure why, but there is a special connection between us. I know that you feel it, too… I simply can't ignore it anymore.” Without warning, Jax approached Emma, grabbed her arms, and pulled her into a kiss.
She tried to pull back, but Jax only tightened his hold on her, refusing to let her go.
His lips parted hers, and she let him, but she remained reluctant.
“Please, Emma,” he pleaded against her mouth. “I need you. I want you to be the person I go through this with.”
With those words, her arms relaxed and she allowed him to kiss her again. She even managed to kiss him back a few times.
He walked her back against the wall as his hands ran down to her hips, untying the knot keeping her robes closed.
The material fell open, revealing her beautiful bare skin.
Lea
The horror that came over me was undeniable.
There was a part of me that wanted to succumb to it.
Think of the power I will have over him after this, I told myself. Not only will this destroy his marriage, but he’ll tell me his secrets, let me in, giving me even more fuel to burn down everything he’s built.
I sucked in a sharp breath as his cold fingers ran up my bare leg.
He picked me up by my waist, and lowered me down onto the couch.
It will be so easy. I would hardly have to do a thing…
I closed my eyes, but Emory's face popped into my head, reminding me of how he wanted nothing more than to recover Lea. For him, and for his cause. But it was too late—Lea would never let this happen.
But Emma would do it in order to secure her own self-interest.
There’s no going back. It’s time Lea dies for good. Tonight.
It was a choice between my heart or my wrath, and I chose the latter.
